Handle and lock cover



Feb. '16, 1937. J PARISQE 2,070,955

HANDLE AND LOCK COVER Filed Nov; 25, 1955 INVENTOR. Jo/wv P/iR/JOE.

A TTORNEYJI Patented Feb. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

13 Claims.

This invention relates to a protective coverin for devices, such as door handles and key locks, and is peculiarly adaptable for structures of the aforesaid character embodied in automobiles.

The chief object of the invention is to provide a covering of the general character indicated, which will serve to protect the lock structure against the infiltration, and the like, of snow, rain, water splashed from the roadway, and the subsequent rusting, and more especially the subsequent freezing of the water which renders the lock useless.

The chief feature of the invention consists in providing a relatively flexible rubber-like covering for a door handle and which covering will readily conform to the handle for a considerable portion of its surface and which covering has an extension connected thereto which is movable to expose the key hole of a lock controlling the door, the handle of which supports the cover and which handle is used for opening and closing the door.

Another feature of the invention consists in the formation of the cover of rubber or rubber-likev material and of. a thickness which may be defined as an envelope, so that it is reversiblethat is, may be turned inside out and thereby be adaptable for right and left hand handles. For handles oppositely directed, a similar but reversed form naturally will be required, in view of the fact that the portion movable to provide accessto the key hole of the lock in the preferred form of the invention is illustrated, as in depending relation. Were it not for that fact, a single form of the invention could accommodate right and left hand handles, as well as for wardly and rearwardly directed handles. 'This is assuming the handles are not symmetrical. If they are symmetrical, then, of course, but a single form of the invention would be necessary for the four handles normally present on a' fourdoor sedan.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawing and the following description and claims:

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of an automobile showing a door handle, the invention associated therewith and the lock in this embodiment is shown dotted 'and coaxially included or associated with the handle. Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal central sectional view through the invention, the handle and door being shown in full lines and the cover being shown positioned to expose the key hole,

directed extension of the cover encircles the shaft portion l3 of the a key being associated with the lock and shown in plan, the dotted lines in the central portion of the figure indicating the normal position of the key hole access providing portion.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 5 of Fig. 2 and in the direction of the arrows, the lower dotted lines in said figure illustrating the normal position of the key hole access providing portion and the dotted lines in the central portion of the figure indicating the normal throat 10 or mouth of the handle receiving tubular extensionof the cover.

In the drawing, Ill indicates a portion of an automobile body, II the door thereof provided with a handle which is shown with a rearwardly 15 I2. The handle-see Figs.

2 and 3-includes a shaft portion [3. It is nested within the plate l4 carried by the door and the handle includes the operating portion 15 nested therein. This handle arrangement is v of the 20 usual standard structure, wherein the handle is capable of movement approximately to lock and unlockthe door and since in the majority of instances with present installations, there is an inner mechanism associated with the handle- 5 which embodies a lock'that is key operable, the keyhole is shown in the front face of the handle.

- specific reference had to such details hereinafter.

The covering includes a body portion 2|] of relatively thin flexible rubber material. A tubular extension 2| terminates in a roll bead 22. The body portion 20'includes a tubular extension 35 23 with a mouth 24. Normally, when not extended by the handle being mounted therein, the mouth "is of slightly less peripheral length than the peripheral length of the surface of the handle at the end of the extension 23 when mounted on 40 the handle. Therefore, the mouth portion is stretched and forms a tight and snug fit around the handle extension l2. The tubular portion 2| handle. 45

Depending from the body portion 29 is another tubular extension 25 which has an open mouth 26; This month is also flexible and the extension 25 includes a bulged portion 25a, the purpose of which will now appear.

It will be apparent the open mouth 26 is downwardly directed and any moisture, water, or the like, which enters the mouth 26 will subsequently drain therefrom.

When it is desired to lock or unlock the door 55 in the form of the invention illustrated, which is the preferred form, the portion 25 is moved by pulling and stretching from the position shown dotted in Fig. 3 to the position shown in full line in said figure. The usual practice would be to use the lock receivable portion of the key as a moving element by inserting it in the throat 26 and then moving the key into alignment with the keyhole, thereby stretching and deforming the depending tubular portion 25 from the position shown in Fig. 1 in full lines and by dotted lines -pended claims.

in Fig. 3, to the full lines shown in Figs. 2 and 3, whereupon the key may be inserted in the keyhole and the lock actuated for locking or unlocking the door, as desired.

Due to the fact that the portion 22 is a roll bead and the material is relatively flexible, constituting a fairly thin envelope type protector, the device may be turned inside out and thus be used for handles on opposite sides of the door. Also, the tubular extension 23 for the handle extension at the mouth 24, terminates in a relatively thin feather edge. This prevents water,

, and the like, from following the handle or creeping into the cover and ultimately working its way to the lock.

When the handles are-forwardly directed instead of rearwardly directed, as illustrated in Fig. 1, and the car is travelling at speeds of seventy miles per hour, this relatively tight gripping action at the throat 24 is highly important because it prevents ballooning, as it were, due to the relative wind velocity, that is, opening the tubular extension 23 so that rain, water, snow, and the like, can enter the cover.

While there is illustrated in the drawing the preferred form of the invention, it is to be understood that there are other forms which will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art, and these modifications, by way of modified forms, as well as modifications of the preferred and illustrated form suggested herein are all considered to be within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the ap- It is to be expressly understood the specific detailed disclosure by way of drawing and description, is for illustration only and is not to be considered restrictive in character.

The invention claimed is:--

1. A cover for a door handle and key operable lock including a flexible body portion to receive the major portion of the handle, a tubular extension for handle shaft envelopment, and 'a projecting portion adapted for movement to expose the lock for key insertion and apertured for key reception.

2. A cover of the character defined by claim 1,

I characterized by the cover being reversible for right and left hand handle accommodation.

3. A device of the character defined by claim 1, characterized by the tubular extension terminating in a bead.

4. A device of the character defined by claim 1, characterized by the tubular extension terminating in a bead, and the cover being reversible for right and left hand handle accommodation.

5. A device as defined by claim 1, characterized by the body portion including an elongated portion terminating in an open mouth and arranged to permit the free end of the handle to project therethrough.

6. A device as defined by claim 1, characterized by the body portion including an elongated portion terminating in an open mouth and arranged to permit the free end of the handle to project therethrough, said mouth being normally of less peripheral length than the handle periphery enveloped by the elongated portion at the-mouth whereby stretching of the mouth insures a substantially air, rain and snow proof connection between the cover and the handle at themouth.

7. In combination with an automobile door having a handle or like for opening and closing same and a key operable look, a flexible rubberlike covering operatively enveloping the major portion of the handle, said covering including an integral extension apertured for key insertion and adapted for movement to expose the lock to the key for key insertion.

8. A cover for a door handle and key operable lock, said lock being substantially coaxial with the handle shaft and enclosed thereby, said handle having at least one elongated extension substantially transverse to the shaft portion, said cover including a flexible body portion to receive the major portion of the handle, and a tubular extension normally movable from a position substantially transverse to the handle shaft into a position in alignment therewith and the lock, the mouth of the movable extension exposing the lock for key operation when so moved and .the body portion normally covering the key hole of the look when the last mentioned extension is released to normal position.

9. A cover for a door handle and key operable lock, said lock being substantially coaxial with the handle shaft and enclosed thereby, said handle having at least one elongated extension substantially transverse to the shaft portion, said cover including a flexible body portion to receive the major portion of the handle, and a tubular extension having a stretchable mouth and normally movable from a position substantially transverse to the handle shaft into a position in alignment therewith and the lock, the mouth of the movable extension exposing the lock for key operation when so moved and the'=-body portion normally covering the key hole of the lock when the last mentioned extension is releasedto normal position.

10. A cover for a door handle'and key operable lock, said lock being substantially coaxial with the handle shaft and enclosed thereby, said handle having a shaft portion and at least one elongated extension substantially transverse to the shaft portion, said cover including a flexible" tion when so moved and the body portion normally covering the key hole of the lock when the last mentioned extension is released to normal position.

11. A cover for a door handle and key operable lock, said lock being substantially coaxial with the handle shaft and enclosed thereby. said handle having a shaft portion and at least one elongated extension substantially transverse to the shaft portion, said cover including a flexible body portion to receive the major portion of the handle, a tubular extension for handle shaft-envelopment, and a tubular extension having a stretchable mouth and normally movable from a position substantially transverse to the handle shaft into a position in alignment therewith and the lock, themouth of'the mo'vable'extensiou exposing the lock for key operation when so moved and the body portion normally covering the key hole of the look when the last mentioned extension is released to normal position.

112. A device as definedby claim 1, characterized by the body portion including an elongated tubular portion terminating in an open mouth and arranged to permit the free end of the handie to project therethrough, said handle shaft associated tubular extension terminating in a head at the outer end.

13. A device as defined by claim 1, characterized by the body portion including an elongated tubular portion terminating in an open mouth and arranged to permit the free end of the handle to project therethrough, said handle t d associated tubular extension terminating in a head at=the outer end. said cover being reversible for right and left hand handle accommodation.

JOHN PARISOE. 

